Stumble and Fall
by Deans
Summary: A collection of drabbles on Ichigo and Rukia. Note: All drabbles are one shots unless stated otherwise. Originally written for the livejournal community 15hugs. :IchigoRukia:
1. Falling

**Falling**

There were often mornings that Ichigo would find Rukia waiting for him in front of his house. On these mornings they would walk to school together, either talking about Hollows, Kon, their friends or just enjoying the silence. Ichigo liked these mornings walking with Rukia, headed towards the day. He liked them even better than when they walked home together in the orange glow of late afternoon.

Today Rukia staggered. She would sometimes do that, blaming the faux body that wasn't as adapted to gravity as a real human body. She would get dizzy and go on about the earth tilting the wrong way and the axis through the center shaking.

Ichigo was always there to catch her, help her up and listen to her babble willingly. Living, walking, learning, fighting, eating... He does all of these things with Rukia every day.

He has come to learn where she stumbles and where she falls.

**Fin**


	2. Ticklish

**Ticklish**

Ichigo once asked Rukia if she was ticklish. She told him, "I don't know." That would be a mistake on her part.

Rukia broke through her straight face and laughed. And she laughed. And laughed. It seemed like so long before he stopped and they both collapsed on her bed, his arm resting on her waist.

"I guess so, then," she told him as she stared at his lips. He smiled a bit, but didn't dare draw her in closer in case she wanted revenge. Ichigo was most sensitive near his ribs.

"So this body is working better than the last?"

With a nod, Rukia remembered the first faux body she was in about a year ago. This one was much more flexible. And apparently more ticklish.

Ichigo jumped off the bed and stopped in his doorway to look back on Rukia. "I'll keep that in mind."

**Fin**


	3. Fur

**Fur**

"Ichigo, what _are_ you wearing on your coat?" Rukia asked, looking genuinely curious.

"What this? Its fur."

"Fur!" Rukia was shocked. Why would anyone _wear_ fur on their clothes willingly?

"Yes, fur. Why? You don't like it?" Ichigo was challenging her again, she knew. He loved getting her rattled, out of boredom or amusement she didn't know.

_I know him too well_, she thought. _He thinks he knows me too. He'll be surprised then._

Rukia applied what she thought was a lustful face, one with a half smile and heavy lidded eyes.

"Actually, I find it quite attractive. Do you mind if I touch it?"

With his scowl set, Ichigo shrugged his shoulders. The same shoulders, in fact, that Rukia slung her arms around while she brushed the fur collar at the nape of his neck, the whole time breathing on his neck.

"Yes, very attractive," she said as she pulled back, although Ichigo could have sworn he felt her press her body against his intentionally before she moved away.

With a smirk, Rukia walked away muttering something about challenges.

Although a little in shock, Ichigo heard it and skipped to catch up with her. _Two can play at that game, _he thought.

**Fin**


	4. Masterpiece

**Masterpiece**

_This one is a masterpiece,_ Rukia thought looking down at her painting. _This time he will definitely be able to tell what it is._

"Um..." Was what Ichigo said when Rukia had a chance to show him.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"It means something along the lines of 'Why is Kon dressed up in a gown trying to murder a discolored mushroom?'"

And _Did I say something wrong? _is what Ichigo thought when Rukia picked up her painting and threw it at his head.

"_That_," indicating the painting, "is me and you dancing under the stars. Something I read about in a romantic novel. And _this_," pointing to both herself and Ichigo, "is a dressed up bear kicking a discolored mushroom's ass!"

Ichigo dodged and grabbed Rukia before an attack hit. He held down her arms and said, "_That_," he pointed to the painting, "is a complete masterpiece. You know, I really love it when you draw."

**Fin**


	5. Balcony

**Balcony**

"Rukia!"

With a smirk on her face, she stood on the opposite side of the room and observed one of the only men she ever loved and the only one she never told. Her smirk fell into a saddened smile.

_It's been four years. I look no different, and standing before me is a man._

"Um, Rukia..." the man said. "I know you're not used to our customs, but when you come to visit people on the fifth floor you should probably use the stairs, You know, to blend in."

Rukia looked down to the concrete slab she was standing on, then looked behind her to a very far away grassy patch near a parking lot.

"Oh really?" She asked smugly. "Thanks for the tip, Ichigo."

"No prob-- Rukia!"

Ichigo ran as fast as he could to close the space between them and managed to catch the falling Shinigami before anything serious happened. With Rukia in his arms and only one leg still inside his apartment, he yelled "BAKA!"

Shoving him back in the apartment forcefully, Rukia laughed.

"That's what you get for trying to lecture someone ten times your age, _Ichigo-chan!_"

**Fin**

Just sort of silly I guess. Drabbling for these two is really hard for me, although they have so much potential.


End file.
